84.327T: Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals

This document describes the projects that received funding in Fiscal Year 2004 from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, under its competition 84.327T, Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals. This funding is authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation's special education law.

The Bigger Picture

NICHCY is pleased to make this listing available to you online. The listing comes from a longer publication with the incredibly long title of: Volume 4 of Discretionary Projects Supported by the Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fiscal Year 2004: Technology and Media Services.

Interested in what other Technology and Media Services grants have been funded by OSEP in 2004? Please visit:
www.nichcy.org/directories/technology.asp

For an overview of OSEP's discretionary funding programs, and to find complete listings of all its program areas, competitions, and funded projects, please visit:
www.nichcy.org/directories/intro.asp

For a print copy of the complete Technology and Media Services directory (Volume 4), or any of the other directories (while supplies last), please contact Todd Fisk, the Directory/Database Manager, at:
tfisk@aed.org

84.327T
Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals

Purpose: Currently, there are no educational programs that make the language and culture of Shakespeare accessible to deaf students in their own language, American Sign Language (ASL). This project is a multimedia CD/DVD cultural and educational project intended for use by deaf and hearing students alike in high schools and universities around the country. It will provide the most comprehensive interactive ASL Shakespeare program to date, educate hearing students on the complexity and beauty of ASL, and provide a new cultural experience to deaf students.

Methods: This project builds upon work begun in 1999. Thus, 60% of the required content for this project is already available and ready to be organized into a comprehensive package. The primary material is Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in both written form and ASL translation. Additional cultural and education tools are to include seven essays on Shakespeare to be translated into ASL. The project will offer these materials and more on both CD and on DVD. The stand-alone CD-ROM application will also include videos explaining Shakespeare's use of blank verse, rhyme, song, and puns; graphics of historical paintings and images of Twelfth Night ; video interviews with members of the translation team; analysis of themes, images, and critical approaches to the play; and a bibliography and online links to Shakespeare resources. The DVD will provide a digitally recorded performance of the full-scale production of Twelfth Night performed both in ASL and with hearing actors voicing the text.

Products: The result of this project will be an educational and cultural tool that, through the use of interactive technology, provides a complete cultural experience of the language and drama of Shakespeare, both in ASL and in spoken language. Teachers can readily use the CD/DVD in classrooms to educate hearing students on ASL and Shakespeare and to develop and enhance the literacy skills of deaf students.

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Purpose: The dramatic increase in the number of individuals of Hispanic origin living in the United States has affected the deaf population in two ways: (a) Many non-Hispanic Americans know little about Hispanic culture, and few speak Spanish; and (b) most Hispanic families who have deaf children and have immigrated to the U.S. have difficulties communicating with their deaf children, who are learning American Sign Language (ASL) and English, and imparting their native culture. This project will address these two areas via workshops and other activities at 12 school programs whose population has a high representation of deaf and Hispanic children and a variety of materials designed for the children, their families, their teachers, and the communities in which they live.

Methods: The workshops in this project will teach both hearing and deaf children native Mexican dances, traditional dress, elements of Mexican Sign Language (LSM), and Hispanic folk tales. A team of performers, including hearing/signing dancers and an Hispanic deaf storyteller, will perform in traditional costume. The project will also make use of a Mexican Sign Language/ASL Translator on CD-ROM to enable users to see words automatically translated between LSM, ASL, Spanish, and English. Children will be given coloring books with portraits and information about deaf Hispanic Americans and history. Once the children have learned the native dances and stories, they will give performances at Deaf Expos in their cities (12 in all). A kit of developed materials, plus sample press releases and suggestions for celebratory and instructional activities, will be disseminated to programs for deaf and Hispanic children, Hispanic cultural centers, the Chamber of Commerce in the city where each workshop and Deaf Expo was held.

Products: A Deaf Hispanic-American Awareness Kit will be assembled, distributed, and made available.

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Purpose: The Lexington School and Center for the Deaf is seeking a three-year grant for a Performing Arts Cultural Program to expand upon previous efforts in the area of performing arts. Lexington has collaborated with New York City Community School District 24 in a series of dance and graphic arts projects and produced original theater projects.

Methods: Through partnerships with professional organizations such as Stage Meets Screen and the Children's Orchestra Society, as well as collaboration with Broadway professionals for a theatrical production, the project will build upon, and significantly enlarge the scope of the performing arts project.

Products: Educational outcomes will improve for the deaf students who participate directly in project activities. Young deaf adults will increase their vocational skills, and 2,000 new members of the hearing public will come each year to Lexington 's Ralph and Ricky Lauren Center for the Performing Arts to enjoy and appreciate performances that highlight the accomplishments and talents of deaf people. Videotapes will be produced for the productions and disseminated within the educational community.

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Purpose: The American School for the Deaf proposes to strengthen its existing collaborations with the National Theatre of the Deaf, two local senior high schools, a senior high school in Burlington, Connecticut, and a pre-K-12 private school in Stonington, Connecticut and begin collaboration with additional public schools in Connecticut and other schools for the deaf through the "DEAF IS . . . Arts and Culture Project.” The goals of the project are to: improve deaf and hard of hearing youths' literacy and educational outcomes, provide essential cultural and vocational experiences for deaf and hard of hearing youth, and to raise public awareness about deaf culture and the talents of deaf people.

Methods: An existing technology platform with interactive capabilities called "DEAF IS . . ." provides ASD with a vehicle to bring educational information about deaf arts and culture to other public schools in Connecticut and beyond. The project will also enhance an existing drama collaboration between ASD two West Hartford high schools, and the National Theatre for the Deaf.

Products: Expected outcomes are: increased student self-esteem, creation of new theatrical/technical skills, increased understanding of the arts, enhancement of technology skills, career exploration in diverse fields, distribution of production/performance educational materials, and increased public awareness and knowledge of deaf arts and culture through live performances and interactive access on the Internet.

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Purpose: Imagination Stage, Inc. (ISI) and the National Children's Museum (NCM) will collaborate on the design of an exhibit for children and adults that focuses on deaf culture. ISI will incorporate the exhibit into cultural outreach activities, performance tours, and theatre workshops, and will design and produce an enhanced Web site, a video, Webcast, and educational materials.

Methods: The proposed project intends to: (a) continue enhancing the quality and reach of ISI's integrated deaf and hearing acting companies; (b) promote awareness of deafness, deaf culture, and the achievements of the deaf among actors, audiences, teachers, school children, and the public, with a special emphasis on the educational arena and community outreach, as well as on the national stage; (c) promote appreciation of other cultures by producing plays based on folk tales from other cultures, and working/consulting with deaf and hearing guest artists from those cultures; (d) involve and promote the advancement of individuals with disabilities in project planning and implementation; and (e) generate data on growth of awareness of deafness and deaf culture among populations who experience ISI's Deaf Access programming.

Products: Dissemination efforts will comprise the design and production of an enhanced Web site, a video, Webcast, and educational materials.

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